


Dance With Darkness

by TheSword



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Dark, Morally Grey Hermione Granger, Time Travel, Undecided Relationship(s)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-12
Updated: 2021-03-03
Packaged: 2021-03-09 17:54:31
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,257
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27530344
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheSword/pseuds/TheSword
Summary: Hermione uses a dark heirloom to change the outcome of the war.
Comments: 6
Kudos: 7





	1. The Aftermath

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fic. I am by no means a trained writer, just an avid reader and lover of Harry Potter fan fiction. I hope you enjoy!

The initial month following the newly coined ‘Battle of Hogwarts’ was full of distractions. The school needed rebuilding, students needed therapy, and the press needed answers. Hermione wasn’t there. She initially retreated to her and Ginny’s room in the Burrow, but later moved to the gloom of Grimmauld Place. Harry had his own issues to work out, but he seemed to be taking a turn for the better. He understood her need for solitude.

For a while after she had relocated, some Weasleys would stop by to bring food or see how she was doing, but they quickly learned to distance themselves from Hermione’s malaise. Everyone had their own grieving and healing to do; they didn’t need to burden themselves with hers. She fell into a deep depression, only leaving her room for food and the bathroom. A few months passed before Harry forced her outside.

“We’re going for a walk,” he said while barging into her dimly lit lair.

She groaned and looked at him bemusedly.

“Harry? What? What do you want?”

“Up. Up, up. Now. We’re going to get some air.”

She just stared at him. The earnest green pools of his eyes bored into hers. The thought of exerting any physical effort instantly tired her. Moving to the bed, he wrapped his hand around her calf and unceremoniously yanked her out of the tangled blankets and onto the floor.

One hour later Hermione was pink from the shower and dressed for the crisp Autumn weather. Harry glanced at her from the elaborately carved doorway and held out his hand. She waited a few moments before taking his hand in hers and heading out the door.

It was an unusually beautiful day. The sun shined brightly, highlighting the warm colors of changing leaves. After walking in silence for five minutes, Harry spoke.

“I know that you’re not okay, Hermione. And I understand. You know I do. I’m not telling you to put on a smile and pretend everything is fine, that you’re not in pain. But you need to start rebuilding your life. We all need to adjust to the world as it is now. I can see that you’ve changed, but I know the passionate, clever bookworm is still in there somewhere.” Soft rays of sunshine caressed his messy hair. A twinge of guilt twisted in her gut as her eyes landed on the faint lightning bolt etched into his forehead. Was it unfair that she had completely caved into herself when Harry, who had been burdened with the weight of the world and used for years, still managed to function? It made her feel ill, but she couldn’t muster up the strength to say anything. She stood there awkwardly while he waited for some kind of response.

“I know,” her voice cracked out weakly. She didn’t really believe him. Her entire life up until Voldemort’s demise now seemed like a completed stage, a fulfilled purpose. Hermione Granger, bookworm, brightest witch of her age, swot, know-it-all, had done her duty as the brains of the Golden Trio. Without the threat of Voldemort, she felt lost. For years, she had wanted nothing more than for him to be defeated and for life to be normal, but it didn’t feel the way she initially thought it would. It felt like her soul had been beaten into a small pulp, barely connected to her body. Each day was somehow an eternity and a moment. She either slept too much or too little. Memories from her friendless childhood intermingled with those from the past year and spiked her otherwise monotonous existence with pain.

“We’re going to be alright, Hermione. We must.” He seemed to be reassuring himself as much as her. A hint of a smile touched her face. Maybe they would. At least she could pretend.

Hermione slowly dragged herself out from the abyss. She still teetered on the edge but was functioning. Harry pulled away from civic duties and spent more time with her at Grimmauld. Regaining some semblance of normality was difficult. As soon as she thought she was getting better at pretending, something would obstruct her progress. Ron stopped by occasionally. She didn’t like seeing him. They had barely spoken after she left the Burrow. He needed her comfort, but she didn’t know how to give it. She pulled away from him as she did all the others. It was bizarre blocking someone you loved and had spent most of the past years with from your thoughts. Harry was allowed around her because he was Harry. Any time he wasn’t with her he was at the Burrow, talking through troubles with Ron or Ginny and eating Molly’s grief- infused meals. Harry understood her reluctance at speaking about anything too serious, but he did keep her somewhat updated on the lives of her peers.

Fleur was pregnant. Charlie returned to Romania. George was inconsolable, as could be expected. Ron was helping him run Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes. Harry was planning on joining the Auror program. She disapproved but kept her opinion to herself. He was an adult now; he should choose his path for himself. She thought he was doing it because it seemed to be the most obvious career choice for the Chosen One. Did Harry even know what Harry wanted?

Autumn blended into winter. She had started reading at a somewhat normal level again, which comforted him. She tried to block thoughts of the future from her mind, but they kept sneaking in. What would she do? Become a healer, work at the ministry, disappear into the muggle world; she had no idea. And her parents. Thinking of them opened up a dam of guilt that had started building up since first year when she couldn’t tell them about her dangerous adventures with Harry and Ron. There was so much of her life they never knew. Could she restore their memories? Could she bear to?

________

Hermione was curled up on an elaborately embroidered sofa, reading an old muggle novel she had brought with her on the run. A loud creak coming from the front door alerted her to someone’s presence. Assuming it was Harry, she unfurled herself from the blankets and padded to the entryway.

“Please tell me you brought takeaway. There’s nothing in the house and I’ve been starving since- “her voice abruptly stopped. There Harry was, red-nosed and weighed down by plastic bags. To his right stood a tall woman wrapped in wine colored robes. She had hooded eyes framed by thick lashes, high cheekbones, and a wry smile. She looked like her sister. Hermione took in a sharp breath.

“This is Andromeda Tonks. Remember we stayed at her house last year?”

Andromeda smiled warmly at her, shattering the image of the madwoman that plagued Hermione’s dreams.

“Hello, Hermione. Teddy is with Molly right now. I wanted to stop by and speak with you, if that’s alright.”

Flustered, Hermione greeted her with an uneasy smile and led her into the library while Harry entered the kitchen. She hoped her confusion wasn’t written all over her face. Why would Mrs. Tonks want to speak to her? It had been quite some time since she had been in a situation requiring more than the bare minimum of social interaction, so anxiety crept in. The woman gracefully sat on a wing chair, exaggerating the clumsiness of Hermione’s descent onto the sofa. As they got settled, Harry brought them tea. Wrapping her hands around the steaming mug, Andromeda smiled at him and turned her focus towards Hermione.

“How are you, my dear?”

She didn’t know how to respond. She was slightly wary of the woman and desperately wanted to return to her book.

“I’m fine, thank you. As fine as anyone can be right now, I suppose,” she said.

Andromeda’s gaze penetrated her, while still maintaining an air of politeness. Years spent away from the Black family had certainly softened her, but those grey eyes and effortless grace struck Hermione to the core. Sirius had been just like that, albeit hardened by many years alone. Not breaking her gaze, Andromeda opened her mouth once more.

“I expect you are wondering why I’m here, Hermione.” She paused for a moment before continuing. “My husband and daughter are dead. I have my grandson but am wanting for some adult company. Perhaps you would like to come over to my house once a week or so. I hope you don’t mind my forwardness, but you seem like you could use something like that as well.”

Hermione goggled at her; bug-eyed. Her mind immediately leapt to possible reasons for this proposition. What did the woman really want? Surely not just her company. Perplexed, she took in a deep breath and prepared a response.

“I don’t mean to be rude, but I’m suspicious as to what you want from me, Mrs. Tonks. I don’t have much to offer in the way of company. It’s been said that I can be somewhat overbearing.”

Andromeda’s cool disposition morphed into pleasant amusement. The left corner of her mouth tugged upwards and a slight glimmer shone from her eyes.

“My dear, I know more about you than you think. I would greatly value your presence. Just think it over. Harry knows where I live. Stop by whenever you are ready.” With that, she rose from her perch, smoothed her robes, and made her way to the door. When she reached the entry to the foyer, she turned her head and said, “I look forward to seeing you.”

Hermione sat unmoving, vaguely aware of the whooshing sound as the door closed. She spent a few minutes trying to process the conversation and finally gave up, hunger giving in. She made her way to the kitchen and grabbed a massive bowl of lamb biryani, pretending not to notice Harry’s eyes following her. After padding up the staircase, she reached her room and plopped on the bed. She spent the whole evening contemplating over her curry.


	2. The Vaults

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feedback welcome!

Hermione crossed her arms over her puffy muggle coat, shivering from the cold. Worn-out trainers scuffed the sidewalk as she made a sharp turn into the alley next to Grimmauld. Today she was going to see Andromeda.

In her state of curry and contemplation a few days prior, Hermione came to the conclusion that visiting could not hurt. Although she was still wary of the witch’s invitation, curiosity outweighed her discomfort. Perhaps she had an ulterior motive? Order secrets to share? No. Nothing she came up with seemed right.

Andromeda still inhabited the same home she had shared with Ted and her daughter for years. It was small, but not too small, and cozy. Hermione peeked through a window to look inside. There was a fire going. Its flames flickered in an array of different colors. Contemplating the magic behind that, she moved toward the door. Before she could raise a fist to knock, it opened.

“Hermione! Come in.” Andromeda was wearing muggle clothes, which startled Hermione.

“Oh, uh, of course.” She stepped foot in the house and shrugged off her coat. “Um, is it alright if I put this down somewhere?”

“Here.” Andromeda hung the coat on a hook with a flick of her wand. It went soaring out of Hermione’s hands. Although she was a very clever and talented witch, she often forgot to use magic for things like that.

“I have to go get Teddy, but please sit down.” Andromeda turned on her heel and went to get the baby. Hermione looked around the living room. Comfortable seating, bookshelves, a few magical plants, and the fireplace. She sat down on the sofa and fiddled with her hands. A little cry alerted her to Andromeda’s return. Teddy was nestled in her arms and looking distressed.

“He didn’t want me to wake him up, but he’ll be fine after I feed him.” She kissed his forehead and summoned a bottle from the kitchen. He sucked on the tip, gulping down milk. Distracted by Teddy’s movements, Hermione didn’t hear Andromeda.

“Sorry? I didn’t catch that.”

“I am wondering if you would like to be my assistant.” Hermione was caught off guard. “I have some things that need doing but I can’t do them on my own. Not with him,” she continued.

“You want me to…nanny?”

“Not quite. Harry left me in charge of the Black estate. I could use another eye in handling things. We’d both take care of Teddy.” She raised an inquisitive brow at Hermione.

The prospect of studying Black heirlooms thrilled her. She felt as if she shouldn’t be so excited to get back in touch with dark objects, but she couldn’t help it. This was exciting. She hadn’t been excited in months.

“Yes,” she responded without hesitation. Surprised by Hermione’s prompt response, Andromeda sat back and looked her over.

“You are sure?”

“Absolutely.”

“What days work best for you?”

“Any day. I’m not terribly busy,” she laughed nervously.

“Well, then. That’s settled. I think you and I will become good friends, Ms. Granger.”

Hermione smiled. It was like someone had removed a heavy veil that had been covering her for months. Andromeda removed the empty bottle from Teddy’s mouth.

“Could-could I hold him?”

Andromeda handed him over to her. Hermione had no brothers or sisters and her only cousin was much older. She could not remember a time when she had held a baby.

“Oh,” she breathed. He was wrapped in a soft blanket. Tufts of color-changing hair sprouted from his head. He was precious. “Hello, little Teddy.” Andromeda beamed at the sight.

“I’ll go get some tea. We have a lot to discuss. Not just work, either, I want to know everything I can about you.”

“I thought you said you already knew a lot about me.” Hermione glanced up at her.

“I do.” Andromeda smirked and left the room.

Hermione tried to process what that meant but gave up after the baby in her arms made a sweet cooing sound. She focused her attention back on him.

“Your parents were very brave people, you know? I didn’t know your mum very well, but I did know your father. He was brilliant.” She stared into his dark eyes and watched as the color shifted to match the exact same shade of amber as hers.

“I’ll be back in a few hours. You’re preparing the room, yes?”

“Yes. It’s all set,” Hermione assured her.

“Good.” Andromeda kissed her grandson on the cheek and put on her traveling cloak. Grabbing a pinch of floo powder, she walked into the fire. “Diagon Alley.” Quick as lightning, she was gone.

Hermione and Teddy spent the next few hours napping, eating, and playing peek-a-boo. They were becoming more and more attached to one another. She was in the middle of a game with him when the fire crackled and Andromeda stepped into the room. Her face wore the typical expressionless mask that all high society were raised to have, but it was slipping just a little. Hermione sensed that being surrounded by her family’s belongings after being estranged from them for decades must have been jarring.

Andromeda stomped the heels of her boots on the carpet and moved to take off her cloak. She set a small purse down on the table in front of them. It was the same bag Hermione had carried all those months on the run. She had offered it to Andromeda, who was impressed by the charmwork, for the purpose of staving off curious strangers who may have been interested in the objects she was carrying.

“How was he?”

“Wonderful, but I doubt you were expecting anything else.” Andromeda smirked at that.

“He is well-behaved, isn’t he?”

“Mm. Seems to be exploring new ways to morph. Caught him with a pig snout earlier.”

Both women laughed, reminiscing about his mother’s same talent for shifting her nose.

“Nymphadora used to do that. She was partial to a pig snout.” Hermione heard the wistful note in her voice and immediately felt bad, but she did not inquire further. They would be able to discuss their loved ones at some point in their friendship, but not yet.

“I’m going to give him a bit of sleeping potion. I don’t do it often, but we cannot be distracted.”

Hermione remembered the seriousness of the situation and grabbed the bag. She walked upstairs to the prepared room, which had once served as a home office, and Andromeda handled Teddy. It had taken her many hours to ward properly. Neither women knew what exactly they would be dealing with, but Andromeda assured her they would be dangerous.

The stairs creaked as Andromeda made her way to the room.

“Are you ready?” Hermione asked. She felt exhilarated but cautious at the same time. Andromeda nodded and they both raised their wands. Hermione opened the small purse from a corner of the room and watched as its contents began spilling out.

“These items are only from your parents’ vault, yes?”

“Yes. My sisters used to have access to it as well.” Hermione’s thoughts shot to Bellatrix and she shuddered.

“I heard that Mrs. Malfoy is having a rough time now. Harry vouched for her though, so I think she will be alright.” The youngest Black sister was dealing with the aftermath of a traumatized husband and son, her two family legacies crumbling to dust, and intense interrogation by the new ministry.

“Cissy was always alright. No matter what. She was the least volatile out of all of us. Probably had more of mother’s side in her.” Hermione studied Andromeda. She wondered if the Black temper had been passed on to her. “Let’s look at the comb first.”

They approached the table. A shiny hair comb lay next to some silverware and a dagger. It was blood red in color and inlaid with tiny pearls and obsidian.

“Ah. This was first made for my grandmother-my father’s mother that is. I saw mother wear it at a party once.” From what she knew of Black women, she was sure it had suited her perfectly. Waving her wand over it, she waited for an indication of magical activity.

“Hm. Seems to be ordinary.”

“Let’s move on. I don’t want to rule it out yet. Leave it over there.” Andromeda pointed to an unoccupied corner of the table where Hermione placed the comb, away from the other objects. She sighed.

“Alright. Something tells me we might need some tea.”

They spent four days studying each object, testing them for traces of dark magic and figuring out if they served a purpose one wouldn’t know upon first looking at them. Four days of toil featured a ridiculous amount of blood spurting out of a book, a nasty crop of boils appearing in private places, disturbing diagrams, a first-hand account of Cassiopeia Black’s sexual adventures, and much more.

“Alright!” Andromeda yelled, wiping a dribble of pus from her lip. Hermione stifled a giggle at the sight. The normally stoic witch had reached her wit’s end. “Enough. I’ll go to another vault tomorrow.” She paused to slow her breathing. When she was calm, she turned to Hermione. “Stay for dinner. There’s a guest bed if you want”

“Oh, uh, okay.” She opened her mouth to say more but the words didn’t come.

“Obviously, go back to Grimmauld if you need to speak with Harry. I don’t want to force you.”

“No, no! I’d…I’d love to stay. I’ll just pop back over when I’ve got my things.”

Andromeda smiled at her and began cleaning up the mess.

That evening was the best in a long time. They ate roast, discussed the ethics of werewolf registration, and laughed about Celestina Warbeck’s sultry performance on the radio. Teddy fell asleep in Hermione’s arms.

“Harry, thank you.”

“I feel like I should be thanking you, honestly.” Harry grinned at Teddy in his arms, who had shifted his hair to match the spiky black mess of his godfather.

“We’ll be back this evening,” Hermione assured him.

“Does shopping really take that long?” he asked with an incredulous look on his face. Hermione blushed.

“Have you seen the state of this woman’s wardrobe? Getting her new robes should take at least four hours,” Andromeda joked, saving Hermione from having to lie further.

“Yeah.” Harry let out a mocking snort, which received a swat on the arm from Hermione. Teddy wriggled in his grasp. “Alright, then. Looks like it’s you and me.” He waved goodbye as they exited Grimmauld.

The two witches strode down the street without speaking. They were not going shopping. Not even close.

Hermione began to sweat as they stood in front of a goblin. She would never forget the last time she had been in Gringotts, and apparently, neither would the goblins. The one currently peeling the flesh from her bones with the sheer contempt in his eyes was named Kurlok. She stared directly at him, determined to appear unshakable.

“She has been cleared by the ministry, Kurlok.” He moved his attention from Hermione to Andromeda and fixed her with a similarly scathing gaze.

“You of all people should know we don’t follow ministry guidelines. She is cleared when we say so.” Hermione swallowed.

“I do and I understand your concerns. I promise you no harm will come to any goblin while she is here. We will not tamper with any vaults that don’t belong to the Blacks. You have my word.”

Kurlok sneered and hopped down from his perch to talk to another goblin. They spoke in low, grumbly voices in the language of their kind. Hermione listened but gave up trying to discern anything. He returned to them a minute later.

“Fine, but she will only have access to her wand once you are both in the vault.”

“Agreed.”

Hermione gripped the moving cart tightly as they zoomed through the underground bank, thoughts of Bellatrix racing through her mind. She recalled the corseted black dress and heeled boots she had worn when she was posing as the mad witch. She shut her eyes and could almost feel the slippery scales of the dragon they had escaped on. A soft hand patted her on the arm. She knew Andromeda wasn’t aware of the full story, but her touch was still comforting. They came to a stop.

“Here you are, Ms. Granger.” The goblin driving the cart handed her back her wand.

“Thank you.” She stumbled out of the cart and held onto Andromeda’s shoulder for stability.

“You intend to stay a while?”

“Yes.”

“Send a message when you need me to return.” The goblin sped off.

Andromeda slid the key into the heavy door and it clicked open. They entered. Hermione looked around.

“Don’t touch, dear.”

“I know.”

This was Sirius’s vault. Harry had scanned it briefly in the summer before sixth year, but there was still plenty of searching to do. What did a deceased ex-convict who was cut off from his family leave behind? Hermione’s opinion of him had always been multi-dimensional. When he was still alive, she had stayed out of his way for the most part, claiming it was his obnoxious habit of getting under her skin. That was part of it but in truth, the damage she could see in him scared her. She couldn’t figure him out, so she chose to ignore him.

“He was a sweet boy, you know. Well, not sweet, naughty, but still. We had a connection.”

“I suppose being the two people destined to be blasted from the family tapestry would do that. Why exactly are we here?”

“Sirius said something to me before he died.”

Hermione whipped her head around in surprise.

“What?! How? I mean, he couldn’t leave the house. Did you get permission to visit?”

“Yes.”

“What did he say?”

“Nothing directly, but it got me thinking. He was behaving strangely. Of course, I hadn’t seen him in years so it may have been nothing, but…but it was the way he said it.”

“Said what?” Hermione asked quietly. She was dying of curiosity.

“He said that he knew of something-something Alphard had left him-but that he had never touched it. Said it like it was the most important thing in the world.”

“You want to look for it.”

“Yes. He had a flair for the dramatic, Merlin knows, but I have this feeling.”

Hermione wanted to ask her more but decided against it.

“Alright. I’ll look on this side, you look on the other.”

They bent over to read book titles, shuffled through piles of gold that Harry had left untouched, and squinted at the scant number of safekeeps Sirius had in his possession when he died. Hermione began to get frustrated when something caught her eye. A nondescript little box peeking out from behind a stack of galleons. She examined it with her wand and carefully picked it up.

“Andromeda.”

“What is it?”

“Look at this.” Andromeda peered down at the box.

“It’s the only somewhat interesting thing in here.”

“Open it.”

Hermione tried a number of spells that did not work before resorting to an advanced piece of magic that succeeded in opening the box. She pushed back the lid and processed what was nestled inside. It was a circular object appearing to be made of glass. Attached to it was thin leather strap, presumably so it could be worn as a necklace. Metal rods stuck out from it. In the very center was a pile of black sand.

“I’ve never seen something like this before.”

“I have. It…it reminds me of time-turner, but only because of the sand.”

“You’ve seen many time turners?”

“Professor McGonagall got one for me third year so I could take an extra class.”

“That’s illogical. She must have had a greater reason. No one in their right mind who entrust a time-turner to a child.”

“I know. She never told me the real reason. I’ve always wondered. The last ones in Britain were destroyed during the fight at the ministry a couple years ago.”

“Supposedly.”

“I saw it with my own eyes, but yes, I do think it’s possible there were more.”

They stared at the object in Hermione’s hands. It suddenly felt very heavy in her palm.

“Do you think this it?”

“Yes. Let’s leave.”

Hermione dropped it into her bag and hurried out of the vault. Andromeda sent a message out to the goblin. They left Gringotts and went back to Grimmauld, not bothering to pick up some robes.

“He was brilliant, as usual.” Harry ruffled Teddy’s hair and handed him over to Andromeda. “You get what needed?” Hermione nodded.

After Andromeda left, she locked her bedroom door and sat with the object on her bed. It unsettled her and she was determined to find out why.


	3. Confirmation

They did not speak about the necklace they found in Sirius’ vault to Harry, or anyone else. Hermione felt a twinge of guilt for not sharing information with him about her activities with Andromeda, but she was dead set on keeping everything private. She did not understand the magic it contained but could sense that it was powerful. The necklace remained in the warded room upstairs. Sometimes when Hermione was near it, she felt a familiar pull, similar to the horcrux she had worn around her neck a year prior. She watched it, got so close to it she could see her reflection in its smooth glass, but never touched it. Despite how curious she was, some force held her back, like it was telling her the time was not right. Not now. Andromeda looked at her funny when she told her that.

Several months passed in which they managed the Black estate. They destroyed what items they found to be too dangerous and gave others to the ministry for academic purposes. Andromeda did not want a single thing, and neither did Harry. Unable to simply hand over the various Black houses to the ministry due to centuries old curses, they closed them with the strongest wards they knew, hopefully containing the dark magic within forever. Gringotts’ accounts that had been open since forever were officially closed. Hermione wondered if destroying the Black family legacy bothered Andromeda more than she let on. After years of trying to understand the complexities of wizarding society, she still didn’t know how to navigate familial affairs. If she hadn’t erased her parents’ memories, she would probably only be getting the slimmest fraction of what Andromeda and Harry were left with. Now she would get nothing. No proof that she had a family. After all, she didn’t. They were lost to her.

“You’re sure you want none of this?” she asked.

“Yes. Narcissa took what she wanted when she married Lucius, so there is no point in keeping anything else.”

“Do you…ever want to speak with her?”

“Yes,” she uttered. “Someday. I will.”

Hermione left her to her thoughts and went to feed Teddy. He was eating soft foods in addition to milk.

“Teddy bear,” she chirped. He thrust his chubby fists in the air and let out a cry of glee as she fed him applesauce. She had grown very attached to Andromeda and Teddy in a short amount of time. “That tastes good, doesn’t it?” He gurgled in response.

Andromeda watched them from the stairs.

Ironically, the more time Hermione spent around the necklace, the more she returned to life. She wasn’t sleeping most of the day, she ate relatively frequently, and most importantly, she had drive. To friends, she appeared to be back to her old self, but that wasn’t the case. The magic she was around wove itself into her very being. Hermione Granger was born anew.

Andromeda was not affected by it in the same way. The necklace did not capture her attention; Hermione did. The older witch watched. Thanks to her upbringing, subtle looks here and there went unnoticed by Hermione.

“Mione!” The sound of the nickname made her grimace, but she shook it off and walked over to hug whichever redhead shouted it. In a rare meeting, school friends and all of the living order had come together at the Burrow for a party. The anniversary of the Dark Lord’s fall had occurred a week prior, which many spent griving and telling tales of loved ones. Now was the time to celebrate.

“You look good, dear.” The Weasley matriarch wiped her hands on her apron and squeezed Hermione.

“Thank you, Molly. How are you?”

“Oh, I’m fine. I’m fine.” She smiled but it didn’t reach her eyes. Hermione knew how much the loss of Fred had hurt the family. Although she and Molly weren’t the closest, she leaned in for another hug.

“He was special, wasn’t he?” she whispered. Molly nodded against her shoulder and fought back tears.

“Look what you’ve done! Making me a mess while there are guests over. What will they think of me?” she joked. Hermione laughed and went to find Andromeda. She stood in a corner conversing with Neville Longbottom, probably about the properties of some plant. They seemed to be having a good time, but Hermione knew she was only acting as if everything was alright. Thoughts of her daughter and husband must have been particularly painful right then.

“Hello, Neville. Sorry to interrupt. Can we have a moment?” She had just experienced the strangest thing moments before apparating to the Burrow, and she thought she would explode if she wasn’t able to tell Andromeda.

“Of course. It was nice speaking to you, Mrs. Tonks.” Neville gave Hermione a smile and set off to join Harry and Ron. Hermione watched his tall frame as he left. A polite cough from Andromeda reminded her of why she was there.

“Right, sorry. Um…”

“The necklace. That is why you said you would be a few minutes late?” The vibrant noises coming from the rest of the house hid them from prying ears.

“I touched it. Andromeda, I finally touched it.” Hermione was practically vibrating. It felt like her blood was pumping through her veins as fast as light.

“And?” It was clear Andromeda was trying to remain unperturbed, but she was unable to keep the edge out of her voice. “What happened? Are you alright?” Something sharp and dark crackled in Hermione’s eyes, just for a moment. “Hermione,” she let out slowly.

“Nothing. There was nothing. No movement, no light, no sound. Nothing at all.”

“Then why do you look this way?” Hermione turned away and stared into space. Andromeda’s unease grew. “You’re unfocused this evening, dear,” she deadpanned. Hermione brought her gaze back, looking like she hadn’t even heard what Andromeda just said.

“But I felt something. A tug. It was almost like I was moving. Being pulled in. Like a portkey. But why the sand then?”

Andromeda stood frozen. Not a muscle twitched.

“Andromeda?”

_“Please don’t do anything stupid!” Andromeda called upstairs. Hermione tensed and waited for the crack of apparition before lowering the wards protecting the room. She breathed in and entered, focusing on the glass necklace resting on the table before her. Although it appeared innocent, she knew there were some of the strongest wards she was capable of making surrounding it. Even Bill Weasley would have trouble dismantling them. Praying that Andromeda wouldn’t hex her, she raised her wand, closed her eyes, and spoke the words to undo them. Five minutes of intense concentration later, she dropped to the floor in exhaustion._

_She hauled herself up and walked over to the table, which she leaned on for support. With shaky hands, she reached out to grab the thin piece of leather the glass sphere hung on and drew it towards her. Why someone would ever have placed a powerful object such as that on a simple string of leather was beyond her. She held it in the air and examined the black sand within. Thin silvery rods ran through the sphere and out the other side. She was at a complete loss as to what the purpose of those was, but she knew the sand had to be important._

_Guilt had plagued her for the past couple days, since she had decided it was time to inspect closer. Going behind Andromeda’s back was painful, but the pull was simply too strong. Whether it was her innate curiosity or the magic of the necklace itself, Hermione became more and more convinced that she needed to touch it. To hold it. Just for a moment. Running her tongue over her bottom lip, she put her wand in her trousers’ pocket and took one last look at the necklace before darting out to touch it. A shock ran through her body and a strong force pulled her in. She screamed. Tendrils of what could only be described as pure black began pouring out of the sphere and reaching toward her. Despite her fear, she managed to wrench her hand off._

_The effect was immediate. Her body fell and her back slammed to the floor, knocking the air out of her lungs. She recovered unnaturally fast and rushed back to the table. To her relief, the necklace was unharmed. Aware that she was expected at the Burrow, she decided it was fine to not reward it. She grabbed a thin jacket and pranced downstairs, eager to get to Andromeda._

“Andromeda?” Hermione repeated.

“I heard you,” she whispered. Hermione furrowed her brow.

“What do you think it means?”

Andromeda regained her composure and picked her goblet up from the nearby stool. She brought it to her lips and sipped deeply.

“I think it is confirmation.”

“Wha-confirmation of what?”

“Of you.” Without speaking another word, Andromeda headed towards Hestia Jones. The short, black-haired witch brightened at her presence and the two began chatting. Hermione remained in place, confused and a bit annoyed.

“Do you want to go outside?”

She turned to the source of the voice and her mood tempered somewhat at the sight of Teddy in Harry’s arms.

“I think it’s a bit noisy in here for him.”

“Alright. But I get to hold him.”

Harry grinned and ruffled his godson’s golden curls.

Sunday mornings were the only time Hermione slept in since becoming close with Andromeda and Teddy. Coincidentally, it was usually the only day of the week she woke up at Grimmauld and not at their house. She had gone to bed at 1:00 in the morning after leaving the party to put Teddy to bed. She hadn’t spoken with Andromeda since the witch’s odd declaration.

She yawned loudly and stretched her limbs before sinking back into the mattress.

“Hermione!” She groaned.

“Yes, what is it?”

“Andromeda just flooed. She wants to speak with you.”

She jolted up and rushed down the grand staircase to the kitchen. Harry looked up from his cereal and one side of his mouth quirked up at her appearance.

“Nice kittens.”

“Oh, uh,” she looked down at her kitten printed pajamas. “Thanks. She said she wanted to speak with me?”

“That’s what I said, isn’t it?” She gave him a glare of disapproval that he and Ron were far too familiar with.

“I’m going over now.”

“She said no hurry.”

“What are you doing today?” she inquired, ignoring his statement.

“Ginny.”

“Oh?” she teased.

“No- that-that’s not what I meant! We’re playing quidditch!” He was scarlet. She relished his embarrassment. She may have been awkward too, but Harry was worse. Neither of them had fully grown out of that.

“Well, have fun.” He muttered something under his breath. She grabbed an apple and returned to her room to dress.

Hermione would normally have opened the door without knocking, but she felt cautious because of the night before. Andromeda answered.

“You never knock,” she said with a smile. Hermione was caught off guard.

“Sorry, I just-uh.”

“Come in, then.”

She entered the house and lowered herself onto the sofa. Teddy toddled over to her and she picked him up.

“Mione,” he said, waving his chubby fists.

“Her-my-knee. You can do it, Teddy Bear. Come on.”

“Mione.” She sighed and pursed her lips at Andromeda’s pleasant laugh.

“You may as well give up. He’ll never say it.”

“We’ll see.”

Andromeda sat across from her and accioed some biscuits to them.

“I cleaned that stain from your blouse,” she said. Hermione choked on a crumbly biscuit. Teddy’s second bout of accidental magic had occurred a few days before. Hermione was feeding him mashed peas when the bowl exploded, covering her in green goo.

“To be fair, that’s what I get for shoving that awful stuff down his throat.”

“He needs his vegetables! He can’t eat sweets all the time.”

“I know. Trust me, my parents are dentists.” She wished she hadn’t thought of her parents.

“I need to talk to you about something very important.”

“So Harry said.” She was getting tired of Andromeda’s broad statements.

“You need to understand that this is new for me as well.” Hermione did not respond, although she was desperate to hear what came next.

“Sirius did not tell me about that necklace. I told him. In 1980. Uncle Alphard gave it to me and I gave it to Sirius. He put it in his vault.” Hermione was shocked.

“Why did you lie to me? What is it?”

“I don’t know everything about it, Hermione, but I do know more than I told you I did. I am sorry for that.” Hermione clenched her teeth, trying to process what Andromeda was telling her and manage her rising anger.

“Okay,” she bit out, “then tell me what you do know.”

“You were right, in a way. About it being a time-turner. It is meant to take one particular person back to a crucial moment in time.”

“How is it different from a regular time turner?”

“You create a new world. A new universe from that moment in time.”

“So it is like a portkey?” she reasoned. Her mind was racing. “Unlike a time-turner, it doesn’t remove you from the present and place you in the past so you can change things in order for them to happen in the future. Not the future from now, but what’s in between the moment you go back to and the moments you came from. It takes you to that time and-what? Let’s you do whatever you want? Even though it hadn’t happened in the present? God! This is so fucking hard to wrap my head around!” She clamped her hand over her mouth and looked down at Teddy.

“I think it’s nap time.” Andromeda took Teddy to his room. Hermione leaned her head back and thought back to the summer before second year, when she had done some research on time theory while vacationing in France. One book had mentioned the theory of multiple universes, which she had written off after being taught about time turners by Professor McGonagall. But now? Assuming it was possible, why would someone use it? A voice in the back of her head whispered ideas but she ignored it. Time was not something to be messed with. Andromeda returned.

“Are you alright?”

“I’m processing.” Andromeda nodded sympathetically. “What did you mean last night? About me?”

“I think you are the one who can use it.”

“No!” Hermione stood up. She looked at Andromeda in horror. “Are you mad?”

“I am many things and mad is not one of them,” she chastised.

“Fine. Fine! Then what on earth were you planning for?”

“I’ve known since it was given to me that it might be needed. I’m not one to meddle with magic this powerful, but for the right cause? Hermione, you could fix everything.”

“Why me?” she bellowed.

“Because it chose you, and because I believe you can.” Hermione caught her breath and sat back down.

“I told you months ago that I knew more about you than you thought. You caught my eye years ago.”

“When?”

“Sirius came to see me shortly after you helped him escape. A witch so bright she busted him out of Hogwarts, he said. And then Dora started going on about you. You made an impression on her. You made an impression on me. I’m not easily persuaded, but you persuaded me.”

“I didn’t ask for this.”

“It’s a gift. You do not have to use it. I can’t deny that I want you to use it, but it’s your decision. It belongs to you.” Something nagged at Hermione.

“What about Sirius? How did you convince him not to use it? Maybe he wouldn’t have in the first war but when he got out of Azkaban? Granted I didn’t know him very well.”

“Unbreakable vow. I didn’t tell him exactly what it did, just that I needed him to hide it. It took a while, but he agreed. I suppose being the favorite cousin worked in my favor.”

Hermione’s jaw hung open. She ran her fingers through her hair and pulled on a few strands, feeling a tug on her scalp.

“You’ve been courting me all this time? To do this?” She smiled without humor. Andromeda was a true Slytherin.

“No. No,” Andromeda stressed. She placed a well-manicured hand on Hermione’s knee and stared into her eyes. “It was time to give it to you, dear, but I wasn’t trying to manipulate you to do what I wanted. Hermione.”

“I need some time.” She got up to leave.

“Of course.” Andromeda watched her through the window. After she apparated, Teddy let out a cry.

“Mione!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I meant to update sooner but life got in the way. I finally figured out where this story is going and I'm really excited.


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